Excavator.



Patented oet. 2o, 1908.

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'I'. FENWIGK.

EXGAVATOR. n APPLICATION FILED IAN.14, 1907.

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T. PENWICK.

EXGAVATOR.

APPLIoATIoN FILED M1144, 1907.

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THOMAS FENWICK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EXCAVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

Application filed January 14, 1907. Serial No. 352,235.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS FENWIGK, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State ofNew York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Excavators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in excavators of that classemploying a plu rality of tools operated in a circular plane from acommon drive shaft.

The main object of the present invention resides in the production of arotary excavator carrying a series of oppositely extending cutting ordigging tools, said tools being removably connected to the main or driveshaft whereby to permit their adjustment to vary the cutting depth or topermit their substitution with tools of a different character.

Another object of the invention is the pro vision of an excavator soconstructed as to be readily operated by a self propelling engine of anyusual or preferred type, the parts being arranged to permit the engineerto have complete control of the excavator in operating the tools,propelling the excavator 1n any direction, and operating one set oftools without regard to the other.

The invention will be described in the following specification,reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in Which2Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of an excavator constructed inaccordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectionalview of the same, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken throughthe drive shaftand protecting drum, illustrating articularly themeansfor connecting the too s stem.

Referring particularly to the drawings, wherein similar referencenumerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, my improvedexcavator, as shown, is of the double type, including end supportingframes 1 and 2, an intermediate supporting frame, as 3, and twoindependent series of tools. Each end supporting frame is constructed ofangle iron, or other material, as preferred, including a rectangularbase frame 4, mounted on ground wheels 5, front and rear standards 6 and7, connected and braced by cross strips 8, the upper ends of thestandards being connected to a rectangular head frame 9. Theintermediate frame 3 includes a head frame or canopy 10, and sidestandintermediate frame.

ards 11 and 12, the latter corresponding to the standards 6 and 7, thestandardsll on one side of the intermediate frame being c011- nected bysuitable brace bars 13, the opposite standards 12 being similarlyconnected. The lower ends of the respective airs of standards areconnected by cross ars 14, in which are pivotally mounted ground wheels15, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Bearing blocks 16 are secured in the end frames 1 and 2, and similarblocks 17 are secured between each pair of standards of the Drive shafts1S are supported in the respective bearing blocks, the proximate ends ofsaid shafts projecting within the intermediate frame for connection withthe motive power, as will presently appear. Each drive shaft is providedintermediate its respective bearings with an enlarged squared portion19, designed to provide a tool support. The tools 20, of which there maybe any desired number, comprise a'tool proper 21, such as a shovel,pick, cutter, or any other desired form, designed for removable andadjustable connection with a stem 22. The stem is preferably squared incross section, except the relatively inner end, where it is of circularform and preferably threaded, as at 23, to any desired extent. Thesquared portions 19 of the drive shaft are formed with openings 24 toreceive the threaded ends of the stems, and nuts 25 and 26 cooperatewith each stem beyond the opposing surfaces of the shaft, the formerengaging the end of the stem beyond the surface of the shaft, and thelatter engaging the stem beyond the opposing surface of the shaft, thussecuring the stems to the shaft by two nuts engaging the stem andgripping the shaft between them.

The tools are preferably arranged in diametrically opposed relation, andin alternate order, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, so that the respectivetools are arranged lengthwise the shaft, projecting at right anglesthereto, in alternate order and in opposite directions.

Each squared portion 19 of the drive shaft is protected by an envelopingcasing or drum 27, of materially greater diameter than the shaft and(io-extensive in length with the length of the particular squaredportion 19. The drum is formed with openings 28 for the stems of thetools, and is further formed with slots 29, alined with the res Y ectivesecuring nuts of the tool stems, the s ots being so arranged and of suchsize to .permit the introduction of a suitable wrench for manipulatingthe nuts 25 and 26 to adjust or remove the tools. The drum acts tothoroughly protect the drive shaft and the means for connecting thetools thereto, thereby adding to the effective life of these parts.Furthermore, the drum engages the tool stems beyond their connectionwith the shaft, thus effectively bracing the stems, one from the other,in an obvious manner.

As the motive power for the excavator I have illustrated an ordinarytype of road engine, as 30, which, it is 'to be understood, is toillustrate any desired form of motive power. The road engine ispropelled under its own power, being guided by suitable operation of theforward ground wheels 3l. The ground wheels 5 and 15 of the excavatorare, of course, of the pivot type, so that the direction of movementofthe respective excavator frames may be readily and accuratelycontrolled by the operator of the road engine. The road engine isprovided with a driving wheel or gear 32, operated independently of themechanism for propelling the engine, and said drive wheel is arranged tooperate a crank shaft 34, the respective cranks of which are connectedby coupling members 35 with the inwardly projecting ends 18 of the driveshaft of the excavators.

`The intermediate frame 3 is of awidth to permit the disposition of theroad engine between the side bars thereof, and by the constructiondescribed the operator of the road engine may operate either or bothsets of excavator tools, and may propel either excavator frame in eitherdirection. I also contemplate the provision of traveling belts orcarriers for receiving the material displaced by the excavating toolsand operating said carriers from the road engine, or other motive power,whereby to remove the excavated material from beneath the excavatingframe.

The operation of the excavator is fully disclosed by the drawings whenread with the present specification, but in order to make the inventionquite clear I recapitulate the modus operandi or method of working. Theengine is of any type, somewhat similar to the road roller engine, sofar as the guiding or steering apparatus is concerned, but it hascompound or double action cylinders, first to propel and guide theengine to its work and then suspend that action and make the other orsecond action turn the shaft, which causes the cutters or other toolsfixed thereon to rotate at a speed calculated from say twenty to sixtyor more revolutions each minute according to the character consistencyor resistance of the earth or dirt to be excavated. The shaft revolvingcarries the cutters or other excavating tools around withfit, forming acircle. The length of stroke given to the tools by the nuts and threadedends of cumulation or impediment.

such tools will regulate the length of cut as well as the circumferenceof the circle.

The machine if employed against a vertical wall or bank of earthwill-cut a concave,

which, however, may extend to the plane of the wheels or even stilldeeper if desired. The excavated earth is projected under the cuttinmachine very far beyond the radius of theine of cutters and keeps allunder the cutters perfectly clear so there can be no ac- T he excavatedprojected earth or dirt is received into any suitable rece tacle, suchas a hopper or bin attached to tlie engine running parallel in the rearof the cutters, or the dirt may be projected into movable or runningbands or other forms of carriers in the form of stairs, a gauntree orotherwise, say a system of dredger-buckets on endless chains. This ismerely a detail to be varied Aby actual working operation and I do notlay claim to this as a material part of my present invention. Theexcavating tools in their circuit or revolution keep the excavated dirtclear of the machine rendering it impossible to form any obstruction tothe free operation of excavation.

The operation of the machine as well as its size is regulated accordingto the character and class of work, and the quantity of available groundfor movement. Thus where great width of space is available as in acanal, Waterworks, clay pits or railroad cuttings the machine isoperated from left to right and right to left again. The secondoperation across the face of earth will remove those portions or pillarsof earth left from the first operation. I mean the blocks of groundwhich originally were opposite the engine and the standard or uprightsbeyond the ine of cutters. So these operations will continue through theentire cutting. In more circumscribed spaces the engine being on pivotwheels, the same as the excavating machine, any remaining blocks will becut by giving a slanting or angular direction or by simply backing andselecting a different position for the cutters or by altering the lengthof stroke or otherwise. It is impossible to dene means for everyoperation until these are actually presented'. Such operations will beguided and directed by the good common sense and high intelligence whichthe operator in charge should possess as in all other mechanicalapparatus and movements.

The description and drawing are limited to the double type of rotaryexcavator, though it is obvious that the production of an excavator' ofthe single type is produced by utilizing one of the end frames and theintermediate frames, as the end frames of the structure, and inclu-deonly the set of tools and cooperating parts arranged between theseframes.

The excavator described is of simple type and feW parts and, owing tothe rotary movement of the tools, is highly effective for the purposedesigned.

Having thus described the invention what I claim, is

l. A rotary excavator comprising separated supporting frames, a driveshaftn mounted in each frame, and a series of tools secured in theshaft, said tools projecting in diametrically opposed relation from theshaft.

2. A rotary excavator comprising spaced supporting frames, a drive shaftmounted in each frame, a series of tools secured in the shaft andprojecting in opposite directions therefrom, and a drum inclosing theshaft and formed With openings for the passage of the tools.

8. A rotary excavator comprising spaced supporting frames, a drive shaftmounted in each frame, a series of tools secured in the shaft andprojecting in opposite directions therefrom, and a drum inclosing theshaft and formed With openings for the passage of the tools, said drumbeing of greater diametrical dimension than the shaft, whereby to bracethe tools beyond the shaft.

4. A rotary excavator comprising a drive shaft, end frames for supportmgsaid shaft, said shaft being squared intermediate the frames, a seriesof tools including tools proper and stems secured thereto, means forsecuring the stems to the squared portion of the shaft, and a druminclosing the squared portion of the shaft, and bracing the tool stemsbeyond the shaft.

5. A rotary excavator comprising a drive shaft, end frames forsupporting said shaft, said shaft being squared intermediate the frames,a series of tools including tools proper and stems secured thereto,means for securing the stems to the squared portion of the shaft, and adrum inclosing the squared portion of the shaft, and bracing the toolstems beyond the shaft, said drum being formed With openings to provideaccess to the stem securing means.

6. A rotary excavator comprising separated supporting frames, a driveshaft mounted in each frame, and a series of tools secured in the shaft,said tools projecting in diametrically opposed relation from the shaft,in combination with an engine connected to operate eachl frame andshaft.

7. A rotary excavator comprising separated supporting frames, a driveshaft mounted 1n each frame, and a series of tools secured in the shaft,said tools projecting in diametrically opposed relation from the shaft,in combination with an engine connected to independently operate eachframe and shaft.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

THOMAS FENWICK.

Witnesses:

HAROLD FENWICK, C. J. SPERCO.

